After dethroning Typepad for the bronze medal of bloghood, it looks as if Tumblr has finally decided to implement OAuth within its API (or application programming interface for you non-geeks) for third party clients.

For increased security and more resilient third-party apps, we’ve started early testing of OAuth support in the Tumblr API.

We’ve modeled our implementation after Twitter’s in many ways, supporting OAuth 1.0a with optional xAuth, upon request, where it makes sense such as mobile and native applications.

The existing authentication methods in the API are still supported for now, but we encourage developers to migrate to OAuth when possible. (Tumblr Staff Blog) [Read more…]

Perhaps slander is a harsh word (malign and misinform might be better candidates), but it looks like Posterous campaign to demonize everyone continues with its latest target being Tumblr.

But blogging on Tumblr is sort of like being in high school. But you know deep-down that you can’t be in high school forever. Eventually, you have to move on.

It’s the same with blogging. After you get your feet wet, you need comments and the ability to moderate them.* You need to add different media types to each post. Your sharing needs are more complex, and your site needs to grow with you. […]

With Posterous there are no limits to your self expression. You can use Posterous to run your private family email list, proudly promote your business or set up a multi-user site where everyone contributes posts via email without having to set up an account. If you can imagine it, you can do it on Posterous. (Official Posterous Blog)

As you can see from the graphic above, Posterous also indicates that Tumblr lacks “real comments” and privacy features, as well as a decent email-to-post feature (something that is considered standard for most blogging platforms).

Instead of dismissing the Posterous propaganda in its entirety, lets go through each of their claims to see if any of them have any merit. [Read more…]

It looks like “Tumblr envy” is spreading throughout the blogosphere as LiveJournal has joined WordPress (not to mention Typepad as well) in copying a feature that has set apart Tumblr from the rest of its rivals.

You can add a repost button that allows other users to share all or part of your entries on LiveJournal. Please note that you must disable auto-formatting to insert a repost button. This button is only intended for public entries (i.e., if your entry is marked friends-only and you add the repost button, the entry can be reposted publicly by others, although the original post will remain friends-only). (Official LiveJournal Blog) [Read more…]

It looks like Tumblr has had its fill of the oil fiasco that has now turned the bluish green gulf of Mexico into a red and black dead zone that is threatening wildlife (as the image above shows).

In order to encourage users to help fund efforts to protect what’s left of the gulf ecosystem, Tumblr has changed everyone’s dashboard background to a “heart-of-BP-executive black” unless they choose to donate $5 to a specific charity. [Read more…]

Apparently Typepad wasn’t the only blog company with a serious case of Tumblr envy.

It looks as if WordPress is releasing “reblog” and “like” features across its WP.com platform, enabling users to repost snippets of blogs they stumble across with a link back to the original post.

Today we’re introducing a new like and reblog feature enabled across the whole of WordPress.com. […]

If you decide that you want to share the post with your own readers, you can click the “Reblog this post” link and you’ll be taken to the new QuickPress tab on the WordPress.com home page. This will auto-fill a snippet of the post text, a link back to the original post, and a link to the blog. If the post includes any images we’ll also automatically add a thumbnail image to the reblog post. Finally you can add your own comments to the reblog post then select which blog you’d like to post it to (if you have more than one). (Official WordPress Blog) [Read more…]

Sometimes viewed as the half-breed of blogging platforms, Tumblr is probably considered by most blogging experts as a cross between micro blogging and a full featured service (like Blogger, WordPress, etc.).

Tumblr still trails Typepad in the US according to Compete.com , although it may only be a matter of time before Tumblr displaces Typepad as the preferred blogging platform in America as well. [Read more…]

After announcing the launch of Tumblr for Blackberry almost a month ago, it looks as if the boys and girls at RIM have finally listed Tumblr upon Blackberry App World.

We’re proud to announce that Tumblr BlackBerry App has been approved on BlackBerry App World, so fire up your BlackBerry and get to downloading. Future updates will be delivered through App World so that you’re alerted when the new stuff drops. This version also fixes a few pesky bugs with character encoding. (Tumblr Staff)

The Blackberry Tumblr app is nearly identical to its iPhone sibling, both which were built by Moblux (who originally created Tumblrette for the iPhone, before being anointed by the Tumblr team to make an official app).

Tumblr has not yet revealed whether they will consider creating an app for Android and Nokia fans, as well as an official iPad app for bloggers (who may appreciate the wider screen space).

Being listed upon Blackberry App world should help Tumblr compete against WordPress (who also has a Blackberry app), as well as Blogger and Squarespace (the latter two whose presence is sorely lacking upon the Blackberry App world).

Tumblr, the hot, New York based, free blogging platform on crack which was founded in 2007 by David Karp, and has long been mocked for having no business strategy at all, actually has a ‘business plan’.

A business plan other than being the nicest platform, hosting the hippest bloggers and designers, and offering most features of all freely available blog platforms. To be honest with you I might have forgotten to check the total validity of the ‘most features’ statement, but if tumblr doesn’t offer most features, at least the team has the nicest features page of all platforms. That’s a valid argument, right?

Times have changed and since today you will not be able, or allowed even, anymore to mock tumblr as the perfect poster boy of the ‘Bubble in Tech’ and our throw-away consumerist behaviour, because… wait for it… yes, Tumblr does actually have a business plan. Of course I use the term ‘business plan’ loosely here and it might be more appropriate to call it ‘something which should at least bring money in the account and finance the next free bar Tumblr SXSWi party‘. [Read more…]